Milk Thistle & The Gallbladder

Milk thistle is a member of the sunflower family that is native to Europe, Africa and Asia and now naturalized in North and South America. Its common name is a reference to the milky, white sap contained within the leaves and the sharp thorns that protect the flower heads. In herbal medicine, the herb is traditionally used to prevent and treat disorders of the liver and gallbladder. There is scientific evidence to support the validity of these claims. However, you should not use milk thistle during pregnancy or if you have a history of a hormone-driven cancer. If you take other medications, check with your doctor before using this herb.

Plant Profile

Milk thistle has been used in medicine for centuries. In ancient Rome, Pliny the Elder described the herb as good for "carrying off bile." In medieval Europe, milk thistle was commonly used to treat jaundice and disorders of the spleen, liver and gallbladder. This herb is still used for these purposes in botanical medicine today. In the United States, milk thistle is also the standard antidote for death cap mushroom poisoning. In Europe, the herb has clearance from the German Commission E for the treatment of liver and gallbladder disorders.

Chemical Composition

The drug is obtained from the ripe seeds of Silybum marianum, also known as Mediterranean milk thistle, Marian thistle and Mary thistle. The "Physicians' Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines" says that the seeds contain up to 30 percent fatty oil and several flavonoids, including apigenin, quercetin, naringenin and taxifolin. The primary agents responsible for the medicinal properties of milk thistle are a group of compounds collectively called silymarin.

Primary Actions

Silymarin, which is composed of silibinin, silidianin, and silicristin, has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Silymarin also exerts hepatoprotective effects by stimulating RNA polymerase I in hepatocytes, the specialized cells that make up liver tissue. This results in enhanced protein synthesis and the generation of new liver cells.

Effects on Gallbladder

There is little research on the direct effect of milk thistle compounds on the gallbladder. However, the University of Maryland Medical Center recommends standardized milk thistle seed extract to support detoxification of the liver and the gallbladder. The gallbladder stores bile produced by the liver, which is released via small ducts when needed in the small intestine to break down food, especially fats. A high concentration of fats in the bile may cause gallstones to form, which can cause inflammation of the gallbladder or result in a blocked duct. According to the "Physicians' Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines," silymarin increases bile flow while decreasing lipid composition and cholesterol concentration in bile fluid.

Safety

Do not use milk thistle while pregnant or nursing, or if you have had a hormone-related cancer. The University of Maryland Medical Center further cautions that milk thistle may interact with several medications, including statin drugs, anticoagulants, anti-seizure drugs, antipsychotics, allergy medications and halothane, a general anesthetic.